The present invention relates to an arrangement where business forms or envelopes are positioned upon and carried by a continuous carrier sheet. It is often desirable when using word processing equipment such as computer printers, memory typewriters or other automatic typewriters or word processing units to continuously process business forms of a like type. Such business forms can comprise customized unit sets such as purchase orders, voucher checks, multi-page forms, envelopes, letterhead stationary and other such forms.
While it is of course desirable to be able to continuously process a number of such forms and important to properly feed them through the work processing equipment, it is essential that the forms be easily removed or separated from the continuous carrier sheet. Likewise, where envelopes are the forms being processed it is very desirable to not only be able to hand decollate a stack of envelopes from the carrier sheet but that the envelopes be readily removable automatically in decollating equipment. Also it has been found to be desirable to mount envelopes with the flap in a closed or prefolded condition and than when removed from the carrier sheet that the flap remain in that prefolded condition. Thus, if such prefolded envelopes are filled with the contents to be mailed and are removed from the carrier sheet automatically in a decollating or stripping machine, they will already be in condition to be fed to and through a postage machine and be sealed and stamped in a continuous operation.
Further, it has been found to be desirable to work with prefolded envelopes where the sealing flap is already folded over so that the envelopes can be taken off the carrier sheet in an upright fashion while maintaining the folded condition of the envelopes.
Collection of folded envelopes if in an upright position is more easily accomplished and the order in which envelopes are collected is, likewise, more easily controlled. Further, should it become necessary to locate a particular envelope, the label, address or other marking on the envelope is more easily seen if the envelopes are in an upright condition where the flaps have been prefolded and in the order in which they are processed. Finally, prefolded envelopes are ready to have material inserted therein or as previously indicated, if the contents have already been placed in the envelope, each prefolded envelope is ready for sealing and handling in automatic postage equipment and for transfer to such other handling equipment.
Further, prior art carrier sheet-envelope assemblies have been cumbersome to handle and costly for users due to the long length of the carrier sheet. Examples of prior art carrier sheet-envelope assemblies can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,723,077; 2,790,573; 3,208,662; 3,327,927 and 3,554,447. Also of interest are U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,453,616 and 2,013,844.
As will be more fully explained hereinafter, the length of the carrier sheet in the present invention is segmented but the length of each segment is not equal to the size of the form being supported or carried. In fact, the machine length of each carrier sheet segment is usually less than one-half the machine length of the business form supported thereon. This reduces substantially the amount of carrier sheet required to carry a like amount of business forms, such as envelopes, than has heretofore been the case. In addition, the machine length of the carrier sheet segments and the way the business form is positioned on that segment makes it possible to hand decollate a number of forms quickly and simultaneously. Thus, it should be clearly understood that the term "hand decollation" as contemplated in the present invention does not refer to the process presently used with many known carrier sheet form assemblies where only one form, such as an envelope can be removed at a time. Rather, as will be more fully explained hereinafter, the carrier sheet when folded with the forms in a stacked relationship can be quickly detached from the pile of forms.
A further advantage of employing the improper carrier sheet disclosed herein, is that the shorter segments allow for shorter incremental movements of the forms, such as envelopes, through the word processing equipment. If envelopes were being addressed, a portion of the processing cycle for each envelope includes the movement of the next envelope into its proper initial position. By employing the present carrier sheet, the time required to move the next envelope into its proper start position is reduced. As the number of envelopes being addressed increases, the shorter incremental movement produces substantial savings in processing time.
Other desirable features and objects of the present invention will become more apparent from the following specification when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which the preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. It should be understood that this preferred embodiment is shown for purposes of illustrating the present invention and is only by way of example.